Mold for manufacturing composite material molded product, and method for manufacturing composite material molded product

ABSTRACT

A composite material molded product has a hollow portion, a bent portion, or a curved portion in a transverse section thereof. When the composite material molded product has, for example, a bent portion, a surface on an inside of the bent portion is a pressed surface. A mold includes a pressing body that is thermally expandable and has an outer surface shape corresponding to a shape of a pressed surface, and a mold main body including a cavity accommodating the laminate and the pressing body inside, the cavity including an inner surface shape corresponding to a shape other than the pressed surface. The cavity is sealed in a state that the pressing body is disposed in the cavity. The laminate is accommodated in a molding space formed between an inner surface of the cavity and an outer surface of the pressing body.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a divisional of U.S. Application Ser. No.16,809,551, filed Mar. 5, 2020, which is a bypass continuation of PCTApplication No. PCT/JP2018/033055, filed Sep. 6, 2018, which claimspriority to JP 2017-172195, filed Sep. 7, 2017, each of which areincorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates to a mold used for manufacturing acomposite material molded product, and a method for manufacturing acomposite material molded product.

BACKGROUND ART

In recent years, in fields where metal materials are used,fiber-reinforced resin composite materials (hereinafter abbreviated as“composite materials” as appropriate) are widely used. For example, amaterial of carbon fiber reinforced type (carbon fiber reinforcedplastic: CFRP) using a carbon fiber as a reinforcing fiber, which isimpregnated with a matrix resin such as an epoxy resin and molded, hashigher strength in addition to being lighter than metal materials.Accordingly, molded products made of composite materials (compositematerial molded products) such as CFRP have come to be employed in awide range of fields such as aerospace field, sporting-goods field,industrial machinery field, automobile field, bicycle field, and thelike.

As a method for manufacturing (or a method for molding) a compositematerial molded product, typically, prepregs (obtained by impregnatingfiber materials with a thermosetting resin composition which is a matrixmaterial, and bringing it into a half-cured state) are stacked(laminated) in a desired shape to form a laminate (a stacked body). Thislaminate is disposed in a cavity in a mold and bagged, heated, andpressurized in an autoclave (pressure vessel) to cure the laminate, themold is debagged, and then the cured product, that is, the compositematerial molded product is demolded.

Here, when a transverse section of the composite material molded productis hollow, an inner mold (core member) called a bladder or an inflatablemandrel is generally used.

The bladder is a bag-like member capable of expanding and contracting,and is expanded by pressurization during autoclaving. Thus, when thelaminate and the bladder are accommodated in a cavity in the mold andautoclaved, the bladder is expanded and becomes an inner mold of apredetermined shape, and the laminate is pressed toward the mold that isan outer mold. In addition, since the bladder contracts afterautoclaving, it can be pulled out from a hollow portion of the obtainedcured product (composite material molded product).

In a conventional apparatus or method, typically, when a compositematerial molded product used in the aircraft field is manufactured, aflexible bladder is disposed in a hollow portion (“inner cavity”) of alaminate (“composite charge”) before curing, and a reservoir forpressurizing the bladder is separately provided. The reservoir and thebladder are joined to each other and sealed in a flexible bag.Accordingly, pressure by autoclaving is transmitted to the reservoir,and fluid in the reservoir is pushed into the bladder. In this manner,the bladder is properly pressurized, and thus a hollow portion or thelike is formed in the composite material molded product.

However, the technique using an expansion type inner mold (core member)like the bladder is limited to the case where strictness of an innersurface shape of the composite material molded product is not required.

Specifically, as described above, since the bladder is expanded bypressurization during autoclaving, the bladder effectively functions asthe “inner mold” for the “outer mold”, but in a non-autoclaved state, itis a contracted bag-like object and cannot function as the “inner mold”.Since the outer mold is generally a “metal mold” made of metal, duringautoclaving, the outer mold imparts a desired shape to an outer surfaceof the laminate by pressing from the expanded bladder. On the otherhand, the expandable and contractible bladder only pushes (presses) thelaminate from the inside to the outside during autoclaving and cannotimpart a desired shape to an inner surface of the composite materialmolded product.

Therefore, when the composite material molded product has a hollowportion, a bent portion, or a curved portion in the transverse sectionthereof, and not only the outer surface but also the inner surface isformed into a desired shape, it has not been possible to use a bladder.

SUMMARY

In order to solve the above-described problems, a mold for manufacturinga composite material molded product according to the present applicationis a mold used when manufacturing a composite material molded productmade of a composite material constituted of at least a thermosettingresin composition and a fiber material and having a cross-sectionalshape including at least one of a hollow, a bent portion, and a curvedportion in a transverse section thereof, the mold used for heat curing alaminate of prepregs obtained by impregnating the fiber material withthe thermosetting resin composition and half curing the thermosettingresin composition, in which when a surface on the hollow side or aninside or outside of the bent portion or the curved portion is a pressedsurface in the transverse section of the composite material moldedproduct, the mold includes a pressing body that is thermally expandableand has a pressure molding surface having a shape corresponding to ashape of the pressed surface, and a mold main body provided with acavity accommodating the laminate and the pressing body inside, thecavity including an inner surface shape corresponding to a shape otherthan the pressed surface, in which the mold main body is configured suchthat the cavity is sealed in a state that the pressing body is disposedin the cavity, and the laminate is accommodated in a molding spaceformed between an inner surface of the cavity and the pressure moldingsurface of the pressing body.

Further, in order to solve the above-described problems, a method formanufacturing a composite material molded product according to thepresent application is a method for manufacturing a composite materialmolded product made of a composite material constituted of at least athermosetting resin composition and a fiber material and having across-sectional shape including at least one of a hollow, a bentportion, and a curved portion in a transverse section thereof, in whichwhen the hollow side or an inside or outside of the bent portion or thecurved portion is a pressed surface in the transverse section of thecomposite material molded product, the method is configured to includeusing a mold including a pressing body that is thermally expandable andhas a pressure molding surface having a shape corresponding to a shapeof the pressed surface, and a mold main body provided with a cavityincluding an inner surface shape corresponding to a shape other than thepressed surface, disposing the laminate and the pressing body in thecavity so that the pressure molding surface of the pressing body abutson a laminate of prepregs obtained by impregnating the fiber materialwith the thermosetting resin composition and half curing thethermosetting resin composition, and fixing the mold main body so as toseal the cavity, and heating the mold without pressing from outside, soas to cure the laminate.

The above object, other objects, features and advantages of the presentapplication will be apparent from the following detailed description ofpreferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of acomposite material molded product according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 1B and FIG. 1C are schematic cross-sectional views illustratingexamples of cross-sectional shapes of the composite material moldedproduct illustrated in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 is a schematic end surface view illustrating an example of a moldfor manufacturing a composite material molded product according toEmbodiment 1 of the present disclosure, and a configuration in a statethat a lid mold portion at an end is not attached.

FIG. 3 is a schematic partial perspective view illustrating an exampleof a state in which a lid mold portion is attached to an end in the moldfor manufacturing the composite material molded product illustrated inFIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an exploded end surface view illustrating an example of adisposition relationship of a mold, a pressing body, and a laminate inthe mold for manufacturing the composite material molded productillustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5A is a schematic flow chart illustrating an example of a methodfor manufacturing a composite material molded product according to thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 5B is a schematic flow chart illustrating an example of aconventional method for manufacturing a composite material moldedproduct.

FIG. 6A is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an example of aschematic model of a composite material molded product obtained by themethod for manufacturing the composite material molded product accordingto the present disclosure.

FIG. 6B is a schematic process view illustrating by a schematic model anedge process of a composite material molded product obtained by theconventional method for manufacturing the composite material moldedproduct.

FIG. 7A-FIG. 7F are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating otherexamples of composite material molded products according to the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 8 is a schematic end surface view illustrating a modificationexample of the mold for manufacturing the composite material moldedproduct illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 9 is a schematic end surface view illustrating another modificationexample of the mold for manufacturing the composite material moldedproduct illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 10 is a schematic end surface view illustrating still anothermodification example of the mold for manufacturing the compositematerial molded product illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 11 is a schematic end surface view illustrating an example of amold for manufacturing a composite material molded product according toEmbodiment 2 of the present disclosure.

FIG. 12 is a schematic end surface view illustrating an example of amold for manufacturing a composite material molded product according toEmbodiment 3 of the present disclosure.

FIG. 13 is a schematic end surface view describing a cavity in the moldfor manufacturing the composite material molded product illustrated inFIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a schematic end surface view illustrating an example of amold for manufacturing a composite material molded product according toEmbodiment 4 of the present disclosure.

FIG. 15 is a schematic end surface view describing a cavity in the moldfor manufacturing the composite material molded product illustrated inFIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a schematic end surface view illustrating another example ofthe mold for manufacturing the composite material molded productillustrated in FIG. 14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Hereinafter, representative embodiments of the present disclosure willbe described with reference to the drawings. Note that in the following,the same or corresponding elements are denoted by the same referencenumerals throughout all the drawings, and the redundant description willbe omitted.

Embodiment 1 Configuration Example of Composite Material Molded Product

First, an example of a composite material molded product according tothe present disclosure will be specifically described with reference toFIGS. 1A-1C. It is sufficient that a composite material molded productaccording to the present disclosure is made of a composite materialconstituted of at least a thermosetting resin composition and a fibermaterial, and is manufactured by heat curing a laminate (stacked body)of prepregs obtained by impregnating a fiber material with athermosetting resin composition and half curing the thermosetting resincomposition. However, the composite material molded product according tothe present disclosure has a cross-sectional shape including at leastone of a hollow, a bent portion, and a curved portion in a transversesection thereof.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1C, in present Embodiment 1, a C-shapedmolded material 20A having a C-shaped cross section will be taken as thecomposite material molded product. When viewed from an end surface (FIG.1A) or a cross section (FIG. 1B or FIG. 1C) end surface thereof, theC-shaped molded material 20A has a shape having a plate-shaped main bodyportion 21 (or a web) and two flange portions 22 bent in the samedirection from both edges of the main body portion 21.

Note that a more specific cross-sectional shape of the C-shaped moldedmaterial 20A is not particularly limited. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 1B, in the C-shaped molded material 20A, the flange portions 22 mayeach have the same thickness from a position connected to the main bodyportion 21 to an edge thereof, and as illustrated in FIG. 1C, a distalend of at least one of the two flange portions 22 (the flange portion 22on an upper side of the view in FIG. 1C) may be configured as a reversecut portion 23 with a tapered thickness.

Further, the direction indicated by a block arrow M in FIG. 1A-FIG. 1Cindicates a surface to be a “pressed surface”, which will be describedlater, in the C-shaped molded material 20A. It is sufficient that thepressed surface is a surface on a hollow side or an inside of the bentportion or the curved portion in the transverse section of the compositematerial molded product. In the C-shaped molded material 20A illustratedin FIG. 1A-FIG. 1C, since the bent portion is constituted of the pair offlange portions 22 and the main body portion 21, opposing surfaces ofthe pair of flange portions 22 and a surface on the flange portion 22side of the main body portion 21 form the pressed surface. In otherwords, the pressed surface is constituted of inner surfaces of the pairof flange portions 22 and an inner surface of the main body portion 21continuous to these inner surfaces.

In the present disclosure, the composite material which is a material ofthe composite material molded product such as the C-shaped moldedmaterial 20A may be constituted of a fiber material and a thermosettingresin composition as described above. A specific repair of the fibermaterial is not particularly limited as long as it is capable ofrealizing favorable physical properties (strength and the like) in thecomposite material molded product. Examples of the fiber material caninclude carbon fiber, polyester fiber, polyparaphenylene benzobisoxazole(PBO) fiber, boron fiber, aramid fiber, glass fiber, silica fiber(quartz fiber), silicon carbide (SiC) fiber, nylon fiber, and the like.Only one type of these fiber materials may be used, or two or more typesmay be used in combination as appropriate. The use form of the fibermaterial is not particularly limited, but typically, it can be used as abase material constituted of a braid, a woven fabric, a knitted fabric,a non-woven fabric, or the like.

The thermosetting resin composition to be impregnated into the fibermaterial may be constituted of at least a thermosetting resin (matrixmaterial), but may contain a material other than the thermosettingresin. Although the specific type of the thermosetting resin is notparticularly limited, typical examples include epoxy resin, polyesterresin, vinyl ester resin, phenol resin, cyanate ester resin, polyimideresin, polyamide resin, and the like. These thermosetting resins may beused as a single type, or may be used in combination of two or moretypes. Further, a more specific chemical structure of thesethermosetting resins is not particularly limited, and may be a polymerobtained by polymerizing various known monomers, or a copolymer obtainedby polymerizing plural monomers. In addition, the average molecularweight, the structure of the main chain and the side chain, and so onare not particularly limited.

The thermosetting resin composition may contain, in addition to theabove-mentioned thermosetting resin, a known curing agent, a curingaccelerator, a reinforcing material or filler other than the fiber basematerial, and other known additives. There are no particular limitationson the specific type, composition, and the like of these additives suchas curing agents and curing accelerators, and materials of known typesor compositions can be preferably used.

In the present disclosure, the composite material molded product ismanufactured by stacking and curing prepregs as described above. Aprepreg is a sheet body in which a base material constituted of a fibermaterial is impregnated with a thermosetting resin composition andbrought into a half-cured state. The specific configuration of theprepreg is not particularly limited. Moreover, the specificconfiguration of the laminate formed by stacking (laminating) prepregsis also not specifically limited. For example, the shape of the prepreg,the number of stacked prepregs, the stacking direction of the prepregs,and the like can be appropriately set according to the shape, use, type,and the like of the composite material molded product to be obtained.

Example of Configuration of Mold

Next, a representative example of the mold (molding die) according topresent Embodiment 1 used for manufacturing such a C-shaped moldedmaterial 20A will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 2-4.As illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the mold 10A according to presentEmbodiment 1 includes a female mold portion 11, a side surface lid moldportion 12, a pressing body 13A, an end surface lid mold portion 14, andso on. As illustrated in FIG. 2, a molding space 15 is formed betweenthe female mold portion 11 and the pressing body 13A. In the moldingspace 15, a laminate 40 which becomes the C-shaped molded material 20Aby curing is held.

The laminate (stacked body) 40 is formed by stacking (laminating) aplurality of prepregs as described above. The molding space 15 is formedin the mold 10A as a space corresponding to the shape of the compositematerial molded product to be manufactured, the C-shaped molded material20A in present Embodiment 1. Note that in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, since thelaminate 40 is “filled” in the molding space 15, the regioncorresponding to the molding space 15 is illustrated by enclosing with adotted line. Further, in the laminate 40 illustrated in FIGS. 2-4, sincethe thickness of an edge on the upper side of the view is tapered, theC-shaped molded material 20A-be manufactured in present Embodiment 1 hasa reverse cut portion 23 on an edge of one of the flange portions 22(see FIG. 1C).

The female mold portion 11 has a cavity 11 b as illustrated in FIG. 4,and the laminate 40 and the pressing body 13A are disposed in the cavity11 b. Therefore, the female mold portion 11 is provided with the cavity11 b which is a concave portion for which the pressing body 13A is amale mold. The side surface lid mold portion 12 is fixed to the femalemold portion 11 so as to seal the cavity 11 b in a state that thelaminate 40 and the pressing body 13A are disposed in the cavity 11 b ofthe female mold portion 11. If it is a general male-female pair mold,the side surface lid mold portion 12 is a “male mold portion”corresponding to the female mold portion 11, and a convex portionsimilar to the pressing body 13A is formed on the inner surface thereof.However, in the present disclosure, since the pressing body 13A isconfigured separately from the side surface lid mold portion 12, theside surface lid mold portion 12 functions as a “lid portion” thatsubstantially hermetically seals the cavity 11 b.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the female mold portion 11 and the sidesurface lid mold portion 12 have an elongated shape extending along alongitudinal direction (axial member direction) of the laminate 40 to bethe C-shaped molded material 20A. Therefore, looking only at the femalemold portion 11, it is configured as a trench-shaped mold having theelongated cavity 11 b, and the side surface lid mold portion 12 isconfigured as an elongated “lid member” in a flat-plate shape thatcloses this trench (the cavity 11 b). Therefore, in the elongated cavity11 b of the female mold portion 11, the elongated laminate 40 and theelongated pressing body 13A are disposed, and an upper side surface(elongated opening) of the cavity 11 b after they are disposed is sealedby the side surface lid mold portion 12. Note that this state will bereferred to as a “basic assembled state” for the convenience ofdescription.

Further, as illustrated in FIG. 3, in the mold 10A in the basicassembled state, both ends are open (only one end is illustrated in FIG.3). Accordingly, the both ends are sealed by the end surface lid moldportion 14. Note that the state in which both the ends are sealed by theend surface lid mold portion 14 is referred to as a “final assembledstate” for the convenience of description. Therefore, the end surfacelid mold portion 14 also seals the cavity 11 b in a state that thelaminate 40 and the pressing body 13A are disposed in the cavity 11 b ofthe female mold portion 11, similarly to the side surface lid moldportion 12.

The female mold portion 11, the side surface lid mold portion 12, andthe end surface lid mold portion 14 are assembled so as to be fixed toeach other by fastening members 16 as illustrated in FIGS. 2-4.Therefore, a plurality of fastening holes 11 a, 12 a, 14 a into whichthe fastening members 16 are inserted are provided in the female moldportion 11, the side surface lid mold portion 12, and the end surfacelid mold portion 14. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, aplurality of fastening holes 11 a are provided in an end surface of thefemale mold portion 11, and a plurality of fastening holes 12 a are alsoprovided in an end surface of the side surface lid mold portion 12.Further, as illustrated in FIG. 3, a plurality of fastening holes 14 aare also provided in the end surface lid mold portion 14.

In present Embodiment 1, bolts are used as the fastening members 16. Thefastening holes 11 a, 12 a illustrated in FIG. 2 or FIG. 4 are holes forinserting a bolt tip to fix the end surface lid mold portion 14 to anend portion of the mold 10A (the female mold portion 11 and the sidesurface lid mold portion 12) in the basic assembled state. Therefore, itis sufficient that these fastening holes 11 a, 12 a are “thread grooveholes” in which female thread grooves, on which male thread grooves atthe bolt tips are screwed, are formed inside. Further, the fasteningholes 14 a provided in the end surface lid mold portion 14 in FIG. 3 maybe any holes that can accommodate bolt heads so that the bolt heads arenot exposed to an outer surface of the end surface lid mold portion 14,and may thus be formed as “counterbore holes”, for example.

In FIGS. 2-4, a total of three fastening holes 12 a are provided in theend surface of the side surface lid mold portion 12, and a total ofseven fastening holes 11 a are provided in the end surface of the femalemold portion 11. Thus, when viewed as the end surface of the mold 10A inthe basic assembled state, a total of ten thread groove holes areprovided around the end surface. Therefore, a total of ten counterboreholes corresponding to these thread groove holes are provided in the endsurface lid mold portion 14. In FIG. 3, the correspondences of two ofthe ten thread groove holes and counterbore holes are illustrated in analternate long and short dash line.

In addition, a plurality of counterbore holes are also provided in anouter surface of the side surface lid mold portion 12, and the samenumber of corresponding thread groove holes are also provided in a sidesurface of the female mold portion 11. Therefore, in FIG. 2, thefastening members 16 for fixing the side surface lid mold portion 12 tothe female mold portion 11 are illustrated by dotted lines. Furthermore,in the end surface of the mold 10A in the basic assembled state (the endsurfaces of the female mold portion 11 and the side surface lid moldportion 12) and in a surface to which the side surface lid mold portion12 is fixed in the side surface of the female mold portion 11 (thesurface for sealing the cavity 11 b), positioning holes for inserting apositioning pin may be formed.

When the female mold portion 11, the side surface lid mold portion 12,and the end surface lid mold portion 14 fixed to each other by thefastening members 16 are assumed as a “mold main body”, the pressingbody 13A is a member configured separately from the mold main body. Thepressing body 13A has an outer surface shape corresponding to thepressed surface of the C-shaped molded material 20A (the compositematerial molded product), and is thermally expanded by heating. By thisthermal expansion, the pressed surface of the C-shaped molded material20A is pressed. Therefore, an inner surface of the mold main body has ashape corresponding to a shape other than the pressed surface of theC-shaped molded material 20A.

Note that, for the convenience of description, a surface of the pressingbody 13A that presses the pressed surface of the C-shaped moldedmaterial 20A is referred to as a “pressure molding surface”. Thepressure molding surface has a shape corresponding to the shape of thepressed surface of the C-shaped molded material 20A. In presentEmbodiment 1, since the pressed surface of the C-shaped molded material20A is the inner surface of the bent portion, the pressure moldingsurface of the pressing body 13A has an outer surface shapecorresponding to the inner surface of the bent portion as describedabove. In the other embodiments described later, the pressure moldingsurface of the pressing body has a shape corresponding to the pressedsurface of the composite material molded product (such as the C-shapedmolded material 20A). Further, in other embodiments, as described above,the inner surface of the mold main body has a shape corresponding to theshape other than the pressed surface to be pressed by the pressing body13A out of surfaces of the composite material molded product.

In present Embodiment 1, the cavity 11 b of the female mold portion 11has an inner surface shape corresponding to the shape of a major partother than the pressed surface. Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 2,the side surface lid mold portion 12 also includes a part of the innersurface shape corresponding to an edge surface of the one flange portion22 of the C-shaped molded material 20A (a flat-edge surface not havingthe reverse cut portion 23. The lower side of the view of FIG. 2). Inaddition, although not clearly illustrated, as is clear from FIG. 3, theend surface lid mold portion 14 also includes a part of the innersurface shape corresponding to the flat both ends of the C-shaped moldedmaterial 20A. Therefore, the mold main body may be configured to includean inner surface shape corresponding to the shape other than the pressedsurface.

In present Embodiment 1, as illustrated in FIGS. 2-4, the pressing body13A is constituted of two members of an expansion core part 31 and apressure distribution part 32. The expansion core part 31 functions as acore (center or main body) of pressing by thermal expansion in thepressing body 13A because of a relatively large thermal expansioncoefficient. The pressure distribution part 32 has a thermal expansioncoefficient smaller than that of the expansion core part 31 and islocated on the pressed surface side as viewed from the expansion corepart 31. At a time of thermal expansion, the expansion core part 31 hasexpansion force different in each portion thereof that is derived from ashape or the like thereof, and hence has pressing force that is alsodifferent. Since the pressure distribution part 32 has a small thermalexpansion coefficient and has rigidity, it is possible to distribute andequalize the pressing force different for each portion by the expansioncore part 31. Accordingly, the pressure distribution part 32 canfavorably distribute the pressing force due to thermal expansion of theexpansion core part 31 to the entire pressed surface, and when viewed asthe entire pressing body 13A, the pressing force by the pressed surfacecan be entirely equal.

The specific configurations of the expansion core part 31 and thepressure distribution part 32 which constitute the pressing body 13A arenot particularly limited. Further, the specific thermal expansioncoefficient of each of the expansion core part 31 and the pressuredistribution part 32, and the difference between these thermal expansioncoefficients, and the like are not particularly limited. In presentEmbodiment 1, for example, silicone rubber, fluororubber (for example,vinylidene fluoride rubber (FKM), tetrafluoroethylene-propylene rubber(FEPM), tetrafluoroethylene-perfluorovinylether (FFKM), or the like) isused as the expansion core part 31. As the pressure distribution part32, one made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is used, but it is ofcourse not limited thereto.

Further, in present Embodiment 1, as illustrated particularly in FIG. 4,the pressure distribution part 32 is located only at a site that abutson a surface (indicated by a block arrow M in the view) of the laminate40 to be a pressed surface in the pressing body 13A, but it is of coursenot limited to this. For example, from the viewpoint of adjusting thepressing force of the expansion core part 31, the pressure distributionpart 32 may be provided so as to cover the entire outer surface of theexpansion core part 31. In other words, the expansion core part 31 maybe accommodated inside the pressure distribution part 32, so as toconstitute the pressing body 13A. In addition, depending on the specificstructure of the composite material molded product, and so on, thethickness of the pressure distribution part 32 (the thickness of a crosssection from the expansion core part 31 to the pressed surface) may bedifferent, or the pressure distribution part 32 may exist partially.

When the female mold portion 11, the side surface lid mold portion 12,and the end surface lid mold portion 14, which are the mold main body,are assembled with the fastening members 16, the laminate 40 and thepressing body 13A are disposed in the cavity 11 b as described above.The laminate 40 is placed on the inner surface of the cavity 11 b, andthe pressing body 13A is placed on the laminate 40. As described above,by disposing the pressing body 13A in the cavity 11 b of the mold mainbody, the molding space 15 (the region enclosed with a dotted line inFIG. 2 and FIG. 3) is formed between the inner surface of the cavity 11b and the outer surface of the pressing body 13A.

The laminate 40 is accommodated so as to be filled in the molding space15. Further, since the cavity 11 b of the female mold portion 11 issealed by the side surface lid mold portion 12 and the end surface lidmold portion 14, the molding space 15 is also substantially hermeticallysealed. When the mold 10A is heated in this state, the pressing body 13Athermally expands. Since the molding space 15 is substantiallyhermetically sealed, pressing force due to thermal expansionsubstantially does not leak to the outside, and presses the pressedsurface of the laminate 40. Consequently, the laminate 40 is heat curedin a pressed state, and thus the laminate 40 can be molded into theC-shaped molded material 20A (composite material molded product) of apredetermined shape.

In addition, inside the mold 10A, the thermosetting resin (composition)is softened by heating and spreads over the entire molding space 15.Thus, together with the pressing force due to thermal expansion of thepressing body 13A, hydrostatic pressurization by the softenedthermosetting resin also occurs. Therefore, in the obtained C-shapedmolded material 20A, since favorable pressing force is generated in theentire molding space 15, it is possible to suppress occurrence ofdefects such as porosity accompanying insufficient pressing.

In addition, in the present disclosure, the mold 10A may have aconfiguration (for example, a vent portion or the like) for releasinggas or the like inside the mold 10A, that is, in the molding space 15 tothe outside. Therefore, the mold 10A is not limited to the configurationin which the molding space 15 is completely hermetically sealed, and itis sufficient if the molding space 15 is configured to be substantiallyhermetically sealed as described above. Further, in the presentdisclosure, on mating surfaces of the mold parts (the female moldportion 11, the side surface lid mold portion 12, the end surface lidmold portion 14, and the like) constituting the mold main body of themold 10A, a sealing material or the like may be provided to prevent orsuppress the softened thermosetting resin from leaking to the outside.

Method for Manufacturing Composite Material Molded Product

Next, a method for manufacturing a composite material molded productaccording to the present disclosure will be specifically described withreference to FIG. 5A, FIG. 5B and FIG. 6A, FIG. 6B, taking the case ofusing the mold 10A of the above configuration as an example.

The process chart illustrated in FIG. 5A illustrates a typical step whenmanufacturing a composite material molded product (C-shaped moldedmaterial 20A) using the mold 10A exemplified in FIGS. 2-4. On the otherhand, the process chart illustrated in FIG. 5B illustrates a typicalstep when manufacturing a composite material molded product by a generalmanufacturing method using a conventional general mold (conventionalmold). Although the steps to be performed differ depending on conditionssuch as the type, shape, and application of the composite materialmolded product, present Embodiment 1 exemplifies a manufacturing methodin the case where the composite material molded product is an aircraftpart.

When an aircraft part made of a composite material is manufactured bythe conventional general manufacturing method, first, prepregs arestacked to prepare a laminate 40 (step P11), and this laminate 40 isdisposed in a conventional mold (step P12). Thereafter, the conventionalmold is subjected to a bagging process (step P13) using a heat-resistantfilm, a sealing material, and the like, and then autoclaved (step P14).The conventional mold (and the laminate 40) is pressurized and heated bythe autoclave, and thus the laminate 40 is cured into a predeterminedshape to be a cured product, that is, a composite material moldedproduct.

When the autoclave is finished, the bagged conventional mold is takenout, this conventional mold is subjected to a debagging process (stepP15), and thereafter the cured product (the composite material moldedproduct) is demolded from the conventional mold (step P16). Here, inthermosetting in the autoclave, a matrix material (thermosetting resin)flows out and an excess portion which is cured is generated in theperiphery. Therefore, the cured product is subjected to a trimmingprocess to remove the excess portion (step P17).

After the trimming process, the cured product is subjected to afinishing process (step P18), and the cured product is subjected tonon-destructive inspection (NDI) (step P19). In NDI, the presence orabsence of defects affecting (or possible to affect) the quality of thecured product, such as delamination, voids (voids), and porosity, forexample, is examined. Further, after NDI, the cured product is subjectedto an edge sealing process to prevent moisture absorption from fibersexposed at a trim end by the trimming (step P20).

On the other hand, in the manufacturing method according to presentEmbodiment 1, in the same manner as in the prior art, prepregs arestacked to prepare a laminate 40 (step P01), and this laminate 40 isdisposed in the mold 10A described above (step P02). That is, thelaminate 40 is disposed on the inner surface of the cavity 11 b of thefemale mold portion 11, and the pressing body 13A is disposed to overlapthe laminate 40. As a result, since the laminate 40 and the pressingbody 13A are disposed so as to fit inside the cavity 11 b, and thus theside surface lid mold portion 12 and the end surface lid mold portion 14are fixed to the female mold portion 11 by the fastening members 16, soas to seal the cavity 11 b.

In the mold 10A assembled in this manner, the laminate 40 and thepressing body 13A are disposed in the cavity 11 b. Therefore, thelaminate 40 is accommodated so as to be filled in the molding space 15formed between the inner surface of the cavity 11 b and the outersurface of the pressing body 13A. In this state, the mold 10A is heated,for example, in an oven (step P03). As described above, since the cavity11 b is substantially hermetically sealed, the pressing force due tothermal expansion of the pressing body 13A is favorably applied to thepressed surface of the laminate 40.

Thus, in the manufacturing method according to the present disclosure,there is no need for an autoclave that performs pressurizing togetherwith heating as in the conventional manufacturing method. Since theautoclave is relatively expensive compared to an oven or the like, themanufacturing method according to the present disclosure can suppress anincrease in costs of manufacturing facilities. Further, when theautoclave is not required, the bagging process and the debagging processare no longer necessary. Since the number of steps and the operationtime relatively increase in the bagging process and the debaggingprocess, the manufacturing method can be made more efficient by reducingthese processes.

When the laminate 40 is cured to obtain a cured product having apredetermined shape, that is, a composite material molded product, themold 10A is disassembled to demold the cured product (step P04). Here,as described above, since the molding space 15 is substantiallyhermetically sealed, in the obtained cured product, although some burrsoccur, an excess portion that requires trimming does not substantiallyoccur. Therefore, the manufacturing method according to the presentdisclosure also eliminates the need for trimming. With respect to thedemolded cured product, the cured product may be subjected to afinishing process (step P05), and the cured product may be subjected toNDI (step P06), as in the conventional case. In the manufacturing methodaccording to the present disclosure, since the trimming is unnecessary,the edge sealing process is also unnecessary as in the conventionalmanufacturing method.

Here, differences between the composite material molded product obtainedby the manufacturing method according to the present disclosure and thecomposite material molded product obtained by the conventional generalmanufacturing method will be specifically described focusing on thetrimming in particular.

As described above, in the manufacturing method according to the presentdisclosure, after the pressing body 13A is disposed in the cavity 11 b,the cavity 11 b (that is, the molding space 15) is substantiallyhermetically sealed. Therefore, even if the mold 10A is heated withoutpressing from the outside, not only the laminate 40 can be favorablypressed by the pressing body 13A, but as described above, an excessportion is not generated in the composite material molded product.

For example, the C-shaped molded material 20A is modeled as illustratedin FIG. 6A, focusing on the base material (fiber material) and thematrix material (thermosetting resin). FIG. 6A is a modelcross-sectional view in which the transverse section of the C-shapedmolded material 20A is modeled. As apparent from this model crosssectional view, the base material 41 constituted of a fiber materialextends across the entirety of the main body portion 21 and the pair offlange portions 22 (the entire transverse section of the C-shaped moldedmaterial 20A), and the matrix material 42 (thermosetting resin)completely covers the base material 41. Therefore, the fiber materialwhich is the base material 41 is not exposed at a distal end surface 24.

On the other hand, the composite material molded product obtained by theconventional manufacturing method is also modeled similarly focusing onthe base material 41 and the matrix material 42. As illustrated in FIG.6B, in the model cross section of the conventional C-shaped moldedmaterial 120, the base material 41 extends across the entirety of themain body portion 121 and the pair of flange portions 122 (the entiretransverse section of the conventional C-shaped molded material 120) asin the model cross section of the C-shaped molded material 20Aillustrated in FIG. 6A, and the matrix material 42 (thermosetting resin)completely covers the base material 41. However, an excess portion 123is generated at a distal end of the flange portion 122.

Since a root of the excess portion 123 is connected to the flangeportion 122, the base material 41 is present therein, but the basematerial 41 is not present in a major part thereof. This is because theexcess portion 123 is formed by the matrix material 42 flowing out whenthe conventional C-shaped molded material 120 is autoclaved.Accordingly, as illustrated by an alternate long and short dash line inFIG. 6B, when the excess portion 123 is cut by trimming, the basematerial 41 is exposed at a distal end surface 124 (trimmed end) of theflange portion 122. Therefore, in order to prevent moisture absorptionfrom the exposed base material 41, as illustrated in FIG. 6B, an edgeseal 125 is applied to the distal end surface 124.

Therefore, as compared with the conventional composite material moldedproduct, the composite material molded product according to the presentdisclosure does not need to be trimmed because the excess portion 123 isnot generated, and moreover, the base material 41 (fiber material) isnot exposed on an end or the like thereof. Thus, it can be said that thebase material 41 is in a state of being covered with the matrix material42.

In present Embodiment 1, the C-shaped molded material 20A is exemplifiedas the composite material molded product as described above, but thecomposite material molded product to be manufactured in the presentdisclosure is of course not limited to the C-shaped molded material 20A.It is sufficient that the composite material molded product according tothe present disclosure has a hollow transverse section or across-sectional shape including a bent portion or a curved portion. Whenthe hollow, the bent portion, or the curved portion is present in thetransverse section, a hollow side, an inside of the bent portion, or aninside of the curved portion can be a pressed surface when the laminate40 is heat cured. Therefore, in the present disclosure, in the mold 10A,the pressing body 13A may be disposed in the cavity 11 b so as to facethe pressed surface.

As the composite material molded product according to the presentdisclosure, products having various shapes can be mentioned, and are notparticularly limited. As the aircraft part, for example, similarly to aC-shaped molded material 20A illustrated in FIG. 7A (see FIG. 1A-FIG.1C), a molded material which extends in a material axial direction andhas a predetermined cross-sectional shape can be mentioned. Such amolded material is used as, for example, a stringer or a stiffener suchas a frame for aircraft. The specific shape of the molded material isnot particularly limited, and examples include, other than the C-shapedmolded material 20A, a J-shaped molded material 20B illustrated in FIG.7B, an H-shaped molded material 20C illustrated in FIG. 7C, an L-shapedmolded material 20D illustrated in FIG. 7D, a T-shaped molded material,a hat-shaped (or Ω-shaped) material, and the like.

As illustrated in FIG. 7A-FIG. 7D, these molded materials are eachconfigured to have a plate-shaped main body portion 21 (web) and aflange portion 22 provided on at least one of edges of the main bodyportion 21, and a cross section thereof has a shape in which at leastone flange portion 22 is bent from the main body portion 21. In theC-shaped molded material 20A illustrated in FIG. 7A (see also FIG.1A-FIG. 1C), as described above, a pair of flange portions 22 and a mainbody portion 21 form a bent portion, and thus inner surfaces of theflange portions 22 and an inner surface of the main body portion 21serve as a pressed surface.

The J-shaped molded material 20B illustrated in FIG. 7B has three flangeportions 22. Among them, a pair of flange portions 22 positioned in thesame direction and a main body portion 21 form a bent portion. Since thebent portion is substantially the same as the bent portion of theC-shaped molded material 20A, it will be referred to as a “C-shaped bentportion” for convenience. The H-shaped molded material 20C illustratedin FIG. 7C has two pairs of flange portions 22, and the total number offlange portions 22 is four. Therefore, the H-shaped molded material 20Chas two C-shaped bent portions. In both of the J-shaped molded material20B and the H-shaped molded material 20C, inner surfaces of the pair offlange portions 22 and inner surfaces of the main body portion 21 serveas pressed surfaces.

Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 7D, also in the L-shaped moldedmaterial 20D which has only one flange portion 22, it can be consideredthat the bent portion is formed by the main body portion 21 and oneflange portion 22. Therefore, when a surface on the flange portion 22side in the main body portion 21 is an inner surface, and a surface onthe main body portion 21 side in the flange portion 22 is an innersurface, inner surfaces of the main body portion 21 and the flangeportion 22 are a pressed surface also in the L-shaped molded material20D. Note that the bent portion of the L-shaped molded material 20D isreferred to as an “L-shaped bent portion” for convenience.

Here, the J-shaped molded material 20B illustrated in FIG. 7B has aC-shaped bent portion and an L-shaped bent portion, but in presentEmbodiment 1, the pressed surface is set while focusing only on theC-shaped bent portion. This is because not only pressing due to thermalexpansion of the pressing body but also hydrostatic pressurization bysoftening of the thermosetting resin (composition) and spreading acrossthe entire molding space 15 occurs as described above. Therefore, aswill be described in Embodiment 3 described later, it is possible topress a single flange portion 22 constituting an L-shaped bent portionsimply by disposing the pressing body with the C-shaped bent portion asthe pressed surface. Of course, on the J-shaped molded material 20B, apressing body may be disposed with the inner surface of the L-shapedbent portion being the pressed surface.

Furthermore, even when the flange portion 22 is not clearly bent fromthe main body portion 21 as in the L-shaped molded material 20Dillustrated in FIG. 7D, a composite material molded product isconceivable in which the transverse section of the main body portion 21is curved. In such a composite material molded product, the innersurface of the curved portion may be a pressed surface.

As described above, the pressed surface indicated by block arrows M inFIG. 7A-FIG. 7D is the inner surface of the main body portion 21 and theflange portion 22 constituting the bent portion, regardless of thecross-sectional shape of the composite material molded product. Thepressing body 13A may be formed to have an outer surface correspondingto these pressed surfaces, and may be disposed in the cavity 11 b of themold 10A so as to abut on the pressed surface.

In addition, the composite material molded product may be a hollowmaterial 20E illustrated in FIG. 7E or a hollow material 20F illustratedin FIG. 7F. The hollow material 20E has a substantially rectangularcross-sectional shape and an inside thereof is a hollow portion 25, andthe hollow material 20F has a substantially elliptical cross-sectionalshape and an inside thereof is a hollow portion 25. The pressed surfaceindicated by block arrows M is the inner surface of the hollow portion25, and the pressing body 13A may be formed in a shape corresponding tothe hollow portion 25.

Further, the hollow materials 20E, 20F may be one extending in thematerial axial direction and having a predetermined cross-sectionalshape similarly to the molded material, and may be configured topartially have a hollow portion 25. For example, among helicopterblades, there exists a type in which a rotor hub is inserted in andfixed to a proximal end thereof. In this type of blade, the proximal endwill have a hollow portion 25. Therefore, the mold 10A according to thepresent disclosure or the manufacturing method according to the presentdisclosure can be preferably applied also when such a helicopter bladeis manufactured as a composite material molded product.

Modification Example

In present Embodiment 1, the pressing body 13A is not particularlylimited as long as it has an outer surface shape (pressure moldingsurface) corresponding to the shape of the pressed surface of thecomposite material molded product and thermally expands. In theconfiguration illustrated in FIGS. 2-4 described above, the pressingbody 13A is formed of a plurality of members having different thermalexpansion coefficients, and the pressure distribution part 32 has asmall thermal expansion coefficient relative to the expansion core part31 to be a main part of thermal expansion. However, the presentdisclosure is not limited thereto. For example, although the mold 10Billustrated in FIG. 8 basically has the same configuration as the mold10A illustrated in FIGS. 2-4, the pressing body 13B is configured as asingle thermal expansion member.

Depending on various conditions such as the structure of the compositematerial molded product, the composition of the thermosetting resincomposition, and curing conditions of the thermosetting resin(composition), it may be necessary to adjust pressing force applied tothe pressed surface. For example, when it is desired to distribute thepressing force more favorably, as illustrated in FIGS. 2-4, it issufficient to use the pressing body 13A formed by the expansion corepart 31 and the pressure distribution part 32. However, as long assufficient pressing force can be applied to the pressed surface, asingle member can be used similarly to a pressing body 13B illustratedin FIG. 8.

In addition, when it is desired to distribute the pressed surface morefavorably, a concavo-convex structure that adjusts pressing force due tothermal expansion may be provided on the outer surface of the pressingbody or a surface of one of a plurality of members constituting thepressing body. Specifically, for example, a mold 10C illustrated in FIG.9 is basically constituted of an expansion core part 33 and a pressuredistribution part 32 similarly to the mold 10A illustrated in FIGS. 2-4,and a plurality of convex portions 34 are formed on an entire outersurface of the expansion core part 33. In other words, the pressedsurface of the expansion core part 33 is dimpled.

By forming the plurality of convex portions 34 in the expansion corepart 33, pressing force for the pressure distribution part 32 of theexpansion core part 33 can be favorably adjusted. Therefore, thepressing force of the expansion core part 33 can be favorablytransmitted to the pressure distribution part 32, and the pressedsurface of the laminate 40 can be favorably pressed via the pressuredistribution part 32. Note that the concavo-convex structure thatadjusts the pressing force is not limited to the plurality of convexportions 34. For example, the concavo-convex structure may be dimplingsuch that a plurality of concave portions are formed instead of theplurality of convex portions 34.

Further, the shape of the plurality of convex portions 34 viewed from aprocessed surface may be a circular shape, but the shape of the convexportions 34 is not limited to this, and may be an oval, a triangle, arectangle, a polygon, or the like. Furthermore, the concavo-convexstructure may be concavities and convexities in other geometric shapesother than the convex portions 34 or the concave portions. Althoughthese concavo-convex structures may be of only one type like theplurality of circular convex portions 34, multiple types ofconcavo-convex structures may be mixed.

Further, in the mold 10C illustrated in FIG. 9, the plurality of convexportions 34 that is the concavo-convex structure are formed on theentire outer surface of the expansion core part 33, but the formationposition of the concavo-convex structure is not limited thereto. Forexample, the concavo-convex structure may be formed on both the outersurface of the expansion core part 33 and the outer surface of thepressure distribution part 32, or may be formed only on the outersurface of the pressure distribution part 32, or may be formed on theinner surface of the pressure distribution part 32 (the surface thatabuts on the outer surface of the expansion core part 33), or theconcavo-convex structure may be formed on part of the outer surface orthe inner surface instead of the entire surface.

The configuration for adjusting the pressing force is not limited to theconfiguration in which the outer surface of the pressing body or amember constituting the pressing body is provided with theconcavo-convex structure, and may be a configuration in which a hollowbox part is provided inside the pressing body or the member constitutingthe pressing body. Specifically, for example, a mold 10D illustrated inFIG. 10 basically has a similar configuration to the mold 10Cillustrated in FIG. 9, and a pressing body 13D includes an expansioncore part 33 in which a plurality of convex portions 34 are formed on anouter surface and a pressure distribution part 32. Further, a hollow boxpart 35 which is deformable inward accompanying thermal expansion of theexpansion core part 33 is positioned inside the expansion core part 33.Therefore, the pressing body 13D includes the expansion core part 33,the pressure distribution part 32, and the hollow box part 35.

The hollow box part 35 may be configured to be crushed so as to bedeformed inward by thermal expansion of the expansion core part 33 asschematically illustrated by a dashed line in FIG. 10, and to return tothe original shape when thermal curing is completed and the thermalexpansion converges. Therefore, the specific configuration of the hollowbox part 35 is not particularly limited, and may be any box body thatcan be crushed by receiving pressing force generated by thermalexpansion of the expansion core part 33 (or the pressing body 13D).

The material of the hollow box part 35 is not particularly limited, andmay be any material that has heat resistance of being capable ofwithstanding the temperatures during heat curing. Typically, metals suchas aluminum or alloys thereof can be mentioned, and they may be made ofa heat resistant resin or a composite material. Shape retentivity(pressure resistance) of the hollow box part 35 against pressing forceis also not particularly limited, and a plate thickness may be adjustedor an internal structure may be designed so as to be crushed when thepressing force generated during heat curing exceeds a predeterminedrange.

Note that in the configuration illustrated in FIG. 10, the pressing body13D included in the mold 10D is provided with the plurality of convexportions 34 on the outer surface of the expansion core part 33, and thenwith the hollow box part 35 inside the expansion core part 33, but thepresent disclosure is not limited to such a configuration. For example,it may be a configuration in which the hollow box part 35 is applied tothe mold 10A illustrated in FIG. 2 and the pressing body 13A includedtherein, that is, a configuration in which the hollow box part 35 isprovided inside the expansion core part 31 having no concavo-convexstructure such as the plurality of convex portions 34 on the outersurface. Alternatively, it may be a configuration in which the hollowbox part 35 is applied to the mold 10B illustrated in FIG. 8 and thepressing body 13B included therein, that is, a configuration in whichthe hollow box part 35 is provided inside the pressing body 13Bconstituted of a single thermal expansion member.

As described above, in the molds 10A-10D according to the presentdisclosure, the mold main body (the female mold portion 11, the sidesurface lid mold portion 12, and the end surface lid mold portion 14)which is a matched die is heated, so as to heat the pressing bodies13A-13D disposed in the cavity 11 b. In this manner, the pressing bodies13A-13D expand and press the pressed surface of the laminate 40 in themolding space 15. Thus, in the composite material molded product havinga hollow, a bent portion, or a curved portion, not only the outersurface but also the inner surface (pressed surface) can be formed intoa desired shape.

Further, since the pressing bodies 13A-13D thermally expand inside themold main body and press the laminate 40, it is not necessary to performheating accompanied by pressurization as in an autoclave, and thecomposite material molded product can be molded into a predeterminedshape only by a general heating device such as an oven. Moreover, sincethe cavity 11 b can be sealed in a state in which the laminate 40 isaccommodated, it is not necessary to bag the molds 10A-10D beforeheating and to debag the molds 10A-10D after heating. As a result, themanufacturing processes of the composite material molded product can besimplified.

Furthermore, the laminate 40 is accommodated in the molding space 15closed in the cavity 11 b, and is heat cured while being entirelypressed by thermal expansion of the pressing bodies 13A-13D. Therefore,in the obtained composite material molded product, the cured product ofthe thermosetting resin composition hardly leaks out of the cavity 11 bat an end thereof. At this time, the thermosetting resin (composition)is softened by heating and spreads throughout the molding space 15.Consequently, in addition to the pressing force due to thermal expansionof the pressing bodies 13A-13D, hydrostatic pressurization by thesoftened thermosetting resin also occurs. Therefore, since morefavorable pressing force is generated in the entire molding space 15, itis possible to effectively suppress occurrence of defects such asporosity accompanying insufficient pressing in the obtained compositematerial molded product.

Further, since the thermosetting resin (composition) hardly leaks fromthe molding space 15, in the obtained composite material molded product,favorable molding to the end can be performed. Therefore, it is notnecessary to form the excess portion 123 in the composite materialmolded product. Accordingly, the trimming operation becomes unnecessaryon the obtained composite material molded product, and since thetrimming operation is not necessary, it is possible to avoid exposure offibers (base material 41) generated at a trimmed end. Thus, for example,it is not necessary to apply an edge seal to an end of the compositematerial molded product to prevent moisture absorption. As a result, themanufacturing processes can be further simplified.

In addition, since the laminate 40 is pressed using the pressing bodies13A-13D, it is not necessary to press the molds 10A-10D even though theyare matched dies. Moreover, by adjusting the sizes or shapes of themolds 10A-10D and the pressing bodies 13A-13D, composite material moldedproducts of various sizes or shapes can be manufactured, and favorablepressure can be applied in all directions from the pressing bodies13A-13D to the pressed surface of the laminate 40. Thus, molding of acomplex shape is also possible.

Embodiment 2

In the molds 10A-10D according to above Embodiment 1, the laminate 40 isheat cured using, for example, an external heating device such as anoven after the mold main body is assembled. On the other hand, inpresent Embodiment 2, the mold main body has a configuration includingheating parts for heating the mold main body. Such a mold will bespecifically described with reference to FIG. 11.

As illustrated in FIG. 11, a mold 10E according to present Embodiment 2has the same configuration as the mold 10C out of the molds 10A-10Daccording to above Embodiment 1. Specifically, the mold 10E includes afemale mold portion 11, a side surface lid mold portion 12, and an endsurface lid mold portion 14, which are the mold main body, and alsoincludes a pressing body 13C. The pressing body 13C is constituted of anexpansion core part 33 having a plurality of convex portions 34 and apressure distribution part 32. Furthermore, the female mold portion 11includes a plurality of heating parts 17 in an inside thereof.

In the configuration illustrated in FIG. 11, the heating parts 17 areprovided on three sides out of four side surfaces of the female moldportion 11 except the surface to which the side surface lid mold portion12 is fixed (the surface where the cavity 11 b is opened). In addition,in FIG. 11, since the heating parts 17 are not exposed on end surfaces,they are illustrated with broken lines. The specific configurations ofthe heating parts 17 are not limited, and any mold heater known in thefield of molding of a composite material molded product or in the fieldof molding of other resin materials can be used. The mold heater may beof a type incorporated in a mold 10E as illustrated in FIG. 11 or of atype attached to the outside of the mold 10E.

The female mold portion 11, the side surface lid mold portion 12, andthe end surface lid mold portion 14 are assembled with fastening members16. At the time of this assembly, first, a laminate 40 is disposed inthe cavity 11 b of the female mold portion 11, the pressing body 13C isdisposed, and thereafter, the side surface lid mold portion 12 is fixedto the female mold portion 11 with the fastening members 16, so as toseal the cavity 11 b (basic assembled state). Thereafter, the endsurface lid mold portion 14 is fixed by the fastening members 16 so asto seal both ends of the mold 10E in the basic assembled state (finalassembled state).

Thereafter, in present Embodiment 2, the heating parts 17 are operatedto heat the mold 10E itself, instead of placing and heating the mold 10Ein an oven as in above Embodiment 1. Thus, a composite material moldedproduct, such as the C-shaped molded material 20A, can be manufactured,without introducing an oven as manufacturing equipment.

As described above, present Embodiment 2 uses the mold 10E including themold main body, which is a matched die, and the pressing body 13C, andthe heating parts 17 are provided in the mold main body. Then, after thelaminate 40 is disposed in the cavity 11 b, the pressing body 13C isdisposed, the mold main body is assembled so as to seal the cavity 11 b,and the mold 10E is heated by the heating parts 17 without using anexternal heating device. By heating the mold 10E itself without pressingfrom the outside in this manner, the pressing body 13C can be thermallyexpanded and the laminate 40 can be favorably pressed. Thus, thecomposite material molded product can be manufactured withoutintroducing manufacturing equipment such as an autoclave or an oven.

Embodiment 3

The molds 10A-10E described in above Embodiment 1 or 2 are allconfigured to manufacture the C-shaped molded material 20A as acomposite material molded product, but in present Embodiment 3, forexample, a J-shaped molded material 20B (see FIG. 7B) will be taken asanother composite material molded product, and a mold configured tomanufacture this J-shaped molded material 20B will be specificallydescribed with reference to FIGS. 12-13.

As illustrated in FIG. 12, the mold 50 according to present Embodiment 3includes a female mold portion 51, a side surface lid mold portion 52,an end surface lid mold portion, a caul plate 54, and a pressing body53. Among them, the female mold portion 51, the side surface lid moldportion 52, the end surface lid mold portion, and the caul plate 54 arethe mold main body. Similarly to the modification example of aboveEmbodiment 1 or one exemplified in above Embodiment 2, the pressing body53 is constituted of an expansion core part 36 having a plurality ofconvex portions 38 formed on a surface thereof, and a pressuredistribution part 37. Moreover, a laminate 43 accommodated in a moldingspace 55 (the region enclosed with a dotted line in FIG. 12) of the mold50 becomes a J-shaped molded material 20B (see FIG. 7B) by heat curing.

The side surface lid mold portion 52 and the end surface lid moldportion are, similarly to the side surface lid mold portion 12 and theend surface lid mold portion 14 in Embodiment 1 or 2, lid mold portionsfor sealing the cavity of the female mold portion 51, and the caul plate54 also functions as a lid mold portion for sealing the cavity of thefemale mold portion 51. The specific configuration of the caul plate 54is not particularly limited, and a caul plate known in the field ofmanufacturing composite material molded products (for example, one usedin an autoclave) can be preferably used.

Similarly to the female mold portion 11 in Embodiment 1 or 2, aplurality of fastening holes 51 a are provided in an end surface of thefemale mold portion 51. Similarly, a plurality of fastening holes 52 aare provided in an end surface of the side surface lid mold portion 52,similarly to the side surface lid mold portion 12 in Embodiment 1 or 2.A plurality of fastening holes are also provided in the end surface lidmold portion. The female mold portion 51, the side surface lid moldportion 52, the end surface lid mold portion, and the caul plate 54,which are the mold main body, are assembled by fixing to each other withfastening members 56 (for example, bolts) or the like as in Embodiment 1or 2.

As illustrated in FIG. 13, in the female mold portion 51, a cavity 51 bis provided similarly to the female mold portion 11 in Embodiment 1 or2. The cavity 51 b can accommodate the laminate 43 and the pressing body53 therein similarly to the cavity 11 b of the female mold portion 11,and includes an inner surface shape corresponding to a shape other thana pressed surface of the J-shaped molded material 20B (see FIG. 7B). Asillustrated in FIG. 12, in a state that the mold 50 is assembled, thelaminate 43 is accommodated in the molding space 55 formed between theinner surface of the cavity 51 b and the outer surface of the pressingbody 53.

Here, in present Embodiment 3, as illustrated in FIG. 13, the cavity 51b can be divided into a pressing body region 51 c, a first molding spaceregion 51 d, and a second molding space region 51 e. The pressing bodyregion 51 c is a region of the cavity 51 b in which the pressing body 53is disposed, and occupies a major part of the cavity 51 b. The firstmolding space region 51 d and the second molding space region 51 e areregions corresponding to the molding space 55, and are regions in whichthe laminate 43 is disposed.

Among them, the first molding space region 51 d is a region adjacent toand surrounding the pressing body region 51 c. In other words, thepressing body 53 disposed in the pressing body region 51 c abuts on thepressed surface of the laminate 43 disposed in the first molding spaceregion 51 d. Therefore, in present Embodiment 3, the pressing body 53has a pressure molding surface corresponding to the pressed surface ofthe J-shaped molded material 20B (laminate 43).

The J-shaped molded material 20B obtained by heat curing the laminate 43has a main body portion 21 and three flange portions 22 (see FIG. 7B).Among them, two flange portions 22 are located in the same direction,and the other one is located in the opposite direction of the two flangeportions 22. For the convenience of description, when the pair of flangeportions 22 located in the same direction is referred to as “first andsecond flange portions 22” and the flange portion 22 located in theopposite direction is referred to as a “third flange portion 22”, thepressed surface of the laminate 43 corresponds to the portion betweenthe main body portion 21 and the first and second flange portions 22 inthe J-shaped molded material 20B. The second molding space region 51 eis adjacent only to the first molding space region 51 d. In the secondmolding space region 51 e, a portion of the laminate 43 corresponding tothe third flange portion 22 of the J-shaped molded material 20B isaccommodated.

As illustrated in FIG. 13, in the female mold portion 51, when a sidesurface on which the pressing body 53 is disposed is a first sidesurface (a left side surface in the view of FIG. 13), a side surfaceopposite to the first side surface is a second side surface (a rightside surface in the view of FIG. 13), and a pair of side surfacesexisting between the first side surface and the second side surface area third side surface (an upper side surface in the view) and a fourthside surface (a lower side surface in the view), respectively, sidesurfaces where the cavity 51 b is located are the first side surface andthe third side surface. The side surface lid mold portion 52 is fixed tothe first side surface so as to seal the cavity 51 b, and the caul plate54 is fixed to the third side surface so as to seal the cavity 51 b.

Here, the pressing body region 51 c (and a part of the first moldingspace region 51 d corresponding to a distal end of the flange portion22) of the cavity 51 b is located on the first side surface, and thefirst molding space region 51 d and the second molding space region 51 eof the cavity 51 b are located on the third side surface. As describedabove, although the pressing body region 51 c and the first moldingspace region 51 d are adjacent and can be regarded as a substantiallysingle area, the second molding space region 51 e is an elongated regionbranching from the single area (a region corresponding to the thirdflange portion 22). The second molding space region 51 e is a regionlocated between the female mold portion 51 and the caul plate 54, inwhich the pressing body 53 is not disposed.

In present Embodiment 3, the pressing body 53 is expanded by heating themold 50, and presses the pressed surface of the laminate 43. At thistime, a portion corresponding to the main body portion 21 and the firstand second flange portions 22 of the J-shaped molded material 20B isdirectly pressed from the pressed surface, but the pressing body 53 doesnot abut on a portion corresponding to the third flange portion 22 (thesecond molding space region 51 e), and this portion is merely sandwichedbetween the female mold portion 51 and the caul plate 54. However, inaddition to the pressing force from the pressing body 53, as describedabove, since hydrostatic pressurization is possible because thethermosetting resin (composition) is softened and spreads over theentire molding space 15, the laminate 43 is sufficiently pressed also inthe second molding space region 51 e where the pressing body 53 is notpositioned.

Thus, in the present disclosure, the cavity 51 b may have a region thataccommodates the pressing body 53 and the laminate 43 inside similarlyto the pressing body region 51 c and the first molding space region 51d, and may also include a region that does not accommodate the pressingbody 53 inside but only accommodates the laminate 43 similarly to thesecond molding space region 51 e. If the cavity 51 b is one region thatis not divided, pressing force applied to the pressed surface of thelaminate 43 can be applied to the entire laminate 43, and heat curingcan be performed while favorably pressing the laminate 43.

Note that in the mold 50, the specific configurations of the mold mainbody (the female mold portion 51, the side surface lid mold portion 52,the end surface lid mold portion, and the caul plate 54) and thepressing body 53 are substantially similar to those of above Embodiment1 or 2, and thus the detailed description thereof is omitted. Similarly,the method of assembling the mold main body (including disposing of thelaminate 43 and the pressing body 53 in the cavity 51 b), the method formanufacturing a composite material molded product using the mold 50, andso on are also similar to those of above Embodiment 1, and thus thedetailed description thereof is omitted. Furthermore, in the mold 50, asin above Embodiment 2, the heating part 17 may be provided on the femalemold portion 51 or the like.

Embodiment 4

In each of the molds 10A-10F or the mold 50 described in aboveEmbodiments 1 to 3, the surface on the hollow side or the inside of thebent portion or the curved portion in the transverse section of thecomposite material molded product is a pressed surface. However, thepresent disclosure is not limited to this, and a surface on the outsideof the bent portion or the curved portion may be the pressed surface. Inpresent Embodiment 4, such a mold will be specifically described withreference to FIGS. 14-16.

As illustrated in FIG. 14, a mold 60A according to present Embodiment 4includes a first mold portion 61, a second mold portion 62, a pressingbody 63A, a base plate 64, and so on, and a molding space 65 is formedbetween the first mold portion 61 and the second mold portion 62. Alaminate 40 is held in the molding space 65, and the laminate 40 iscured to form the C-shaped molded material 20A described in aboveEmbodiment 1 or 2. Note that in FIG. 14, the region corresponding to themolding space 65 is illustrated by enclosing with a dotted line as inFIGS. 2-3 and 8-11.

As illustrated in FIG. 14 and FIG. 15, the first mold portion 61 isfitted in the second mold portion 62. In this fitting state, asillustrated in FIG. 15, a cavity 62 b is formed between the first moldportion 61 and the second mold portion 62. Therefore, the first moldportion 61 functions as a “male mold portion”, and the second moldportion 62 functions as a “female mold portion”. Further, as illustratedin FIG. 15, the second mold portion 62 has a recessed space 62 c inwhich the first mold portion 61 can be fitted. The pressing body 63A,the laminate 40, and the first mold portion 61 are disposed in therecessed space 62 c, which is closed by the base plate 64.

Similarly to the side surface lid mold portion 12 or the side surfacelid mold portion 52 in the molds 10A-10F or the mold 50 described inabove Embodiments 1 to 3, the base plate 64 is fixed to the second moldportion 62 so as to substantially hermetically seal the cavity 62 b.However, although the side surface lid mold portion 12 or the sidesurface lid mold portion 52 itself functions as the “male mold portion”,in present Embodiment 4, the first mold portion 61 as the “male moldportion” exists as a separate member from the base plate 64, and thusthe base plate 64 functions not as the “male mold portion” but as a“side surface lid portion” that seals a side surface of the mold 60A. Inaddition, the base plate 64 can also be regarded as a “third moldportion” with respect to the first mold portion 61 and the second moldportion 62.

Also in the mold 60A according to present Embodiment 4, the first moldportion 61, the second mold portion 62, the base plate 64, and so onhave an elongated shape extending along a longitudinal direction (axialmember direction) of the laminate 40 to be the C-shaped molded material20A (see FIG. 3), as in above Embodiments 1 to 3.

As illustrated in FIG. 14 or FIG. 15, the first mold portion 61, thesecond mold portion 62, and the base plate 64 are assembled to be fixedto each other by fastening members 66, similarly to the molds 10A-10F orthe mold 50 described in above Embodiments 1 to 3. At this time, endsurface lid mold portions are fixed to both ends of the second moldportion 62 and the base plate 64. Therefore, the second mold portion 62and the base plate 64 are provided with a plurality of fastening holes62 a, 64 a into which the fastening members 66 are inserted. Since boltscan be used as the fastening members 66 as in above Embodiments 1 to 3,the fastening holes 62 a, 64 a may be configured as thread groove holesor the like as in above Embodiments 1 to 3.

Therefore, the second mold portion 62, the base plate 64, and the endsurface lid mold portion fixed to each other by the fastening members66, and the first mold portion 61 fitted in the second mold portion 62form a “mold main body”. Then, the pressing body 63A is also a memberconfigured as a separate body from the mold main body as in aboveEmbodiments 1 to 3.

The pressing body 63A is constituted of two members, an expansion corepart 71 and a pressure distribution part 72, similarly to the pressingbody 13A (see FIGS. 2-4), the pressing body 13C (see FIG. 9), or thepressing body 13D (see FIG. 10) in above Embodiment 1. The expansioncore part 71 functions as a core (center or main body) of pressing bythermal expansion in the pressing body 63A because of a relatively largethermal expansion coefficient. The pressure distribution part 72 has athermal expansion coefficient smaller than that of the expansion corepart 71 and is located on a pressed surface side as viewed from theexpansion core part 71, and thus pressing force different for eachportion by the expansion core part 71 is distributed and equalized.Thus, when viewed as the entire pressing body 63A, the pressing force bythe pressed surface can be entirely equal.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 14, an outside (outer surface) of thelaminate 40 is the pressed surface, the entire outer surface of thelaminate 40 is covered by the pressure distribution part 72, and anoutside of the pressure distribution part 72 is covered by the expansioncore part 71. In other words, inside the second mold portion 62 (insidethe recessed space 62 c), the expansion core part 71 is positioned to bein contact with the inner surface of the second mold portion 62 on theoutermost side, the pressure distribution part 72 is positioned to be incontact with the inside of the expansion core part 71, the laminate 40is positioned to be in contact with the inside of the pressuredistribution part 72, and the first mold portion 61 is positioned to bein contact with the inside of the laminate 40.

Note that the specific configurations of the expansion core part 71 andthe pressure distribution part 72 constituting the pressing body 63A arenot particularly limited, and configurations similar to the expansioncore part 31, the pressure distribution part 32, or the expansion corepart 33 described in above Embodiment 1 can be employed (for example, aplurality of convex portions or concave portions may be formed on theentire outer surface similarly to the expansion core part 33). Inaddition, as in the case of the pressing body 13B in above Embodiment 1,the pressing body 63A may be configured only of a single membercorresponding to the expansion core part 71, or may include a memberother than the expansion core part 71 and the pressure distribution part72.

Here, as illustrated in FIG. 15, a convex side surface (convex surface)of the first mold portion 61 forms a part of the inner surface of thecavity 62 b. Therefore, the first mold portion 61 has an “inner surfaceshape” corresponding to the shape other than the pressed surface of thelaminate 40 (C-shaped molded material 20A) in the mold main body. Notethat when the first mold portion 61 alone is viewed, the convex surfacecan also be called an “outer surface”. However, as illustrated in FIG.15, in a state that the recessed space 62 c of the second mold portion62 is sealed by the base plate 64, the first mold portion 61 is disposedinside the recessed space 62 c. Therefore, the convex surface of thefirst mold portion 61 constitutes an inner surface shape correspondingto the shape other than the pressed surface of the composite materialmolded product when viewed as the entire mold 60A.

Although the pressing body 63A is not disposed in the cavity 62 billustrated in FIG. 15, as illustrated in FIG. 14, in a state that thepressing body 63A is disposed in the cavity 62 b, a molding space 65(illustrated by a dotted line) is formed between the convex surface ofthe first mold portion 61 constituting the inner surface of the cavity62 b and the inner surface of the pressing body 63A, namely, thepressure molding surface. Therefore, the laminate 40 is disposed betweenthe first mold portion 61 and the pressing body 63A.

Here, for example, in the mold 10A according to above Embodiment 1, asillustrated in FIG. 2, the pressing body 13A is disposed inside the bentportion (or the curved portion or the hollow) of the laminate 40.Therefore, in the laminate 40 (C-shaped molded material 20A), thesurface on the inside of the bent portion (or the curved portion or thehollow) is the pressed surface (see the block arrows M in FIG. 4 andFIG. 7A). On the other hand, in the mold 60A according to presentEmbodiment 4, as illustrated in FIG. 14, the pressing body 63A isdisposed outside the bent portion of the laminate 40. Therefore, in thelaminate 40 (C-shaped molded material 20A), the surface on the outsideof the bent portion (or the curved portion or the hollow) is the pressedsurface (in present Embodiment 4, therefore, in the composite materialmolded product exemplified in FIG. 7A-FIG. 7F, the surface opposite tothe surface indicated by the block arrow M is the pressed surface).

Further, in the mold 10A according to above Embodiment 1, as illustratedin FIG. 2, the pressure molding surface of the pressing body 13A is theouter surface of the pressing body 13A in order to abut on the innersurface of the laminate 40. On the other hand, in the mold 60A accordingto present Embodiment 4, as illustrated in FIG. 14, the pressing body63A abuts on the outside of the bent portion of the laminate 40.Therefore, the pressure molding surface of the pressing body 63A is theinner surface of the pressing body 63A.

Further, based on the recessed space 62 c of the second mold portion 62,it can be said that the cavity 62 b is a space formed between the firstmold portion 61 and the second mold portion 62 when the first moldportion 61 is fitted in the recessed space 62 c. Further, it can be saidthat the molding space 65 is a space formed between the pressing body63A and the convex surface of the first mold portion 61 when thepressing body 63A is disposed in the cavity 62 b. Therefore, thepressing body 63A is disposed in the recessed space 62 c of the secondmold portion 62 so that the pressure molding surface of the pressingbody 63A opposes the first mold portion 61. In addition, the laminate 40is accommodated in the molding space 65 formed between the inner surfaceof the cavity 62 b (the convex surface of the first mold portion 61) andthe inner surface of the pressing body 63A, namely, the pressure moldingsurface.

When the first mold portion 61, the second mold portion 62, the baseplate 64, and the end surface lid mold portion, which are the mold mainbody, are assembled with the fastening members 66, the pressing body 63Aand the laminate 40 are disposed in the cavity 62 b as described above.The pressing body 63A is disposed on a deepest side of the cavity 62 b(a “bottom surface” of the recessed space 62 c of the second moldportion 62) so as to expose the pressure molding surface. The laminate40 is placed on the pressure molding surface of the pressing body 63A.Then, the first mold portion 61 is disposed to be overlapped with thelaminate 40. In this state, the first mold portion 61 is fitted in thesecond mold portion 62. Thus, by disposing the pressing body 63A in thecavity 62 b of the mold main body, the molding space 65 (the regionenclosed with a dotted line in FIG. 14) is formed between the innersurface of the cavity 62 b and the inner surface of the pressing body63A.

The laminate 40 is accommodated so as to be filled in the molding space65. Further, since the cavity 62 b constituted of the first mold portion61 and the second mold portion 62 is sealed by the base plate 64 and theend surface lid mold portion, the molding space 65 is also substantiallyhermetically sealed. When the mold 60A is heated in this state, thepressing body 63A thermally expands. Since the molding space 65 issubstantially hermetically sealed, the pressing force due to thermalexpansion does not substantially leak to the outside, and presses thepressed surface (outer surface) of the laminate 40. Consequently, thelaminate 40 is heat cured in a pressed state, and thus the laminate 40can be molded into the C-shaped molded material 20A (composite materialmolded product) of a predetermined shape.

Moreover, in the inside of the mold 60A, the thermosetting resin(composition) is softened by heating and spreads over the entire moldingspace 65. Thus, together with the pressing force due to thermalexpansion of the pressing body 63A, hydrostatic pressurization by thesoftened thermosetting resin also occurs. Therefore, in the obtainedC-shaped molded material 20A, since favorable pressing force isgenerated in the entire molding space 65, it is possible to suppressoccurrence of defects such as porosity accompanying insufficientpressing.

Further, in the mold 60A, the convex surface of the first mold portion61 forms an inner surface shape corresponding to the shape other thanthe pressed surface in the cavity 62 b. Thus, it is possible to disposethe mold main body rather than the pressing body 63A inside the bentportion or the curved portion of the composite material molded product.The mold main body is generally made of metal and is a harder materialthan the pressing body 63A. Thus, the laminate 40 can be formed bystacking prepregs on the convex surface of the hard first mold portion61. Stacking operation is relatively easier by stacking the prepregs ona surface of a hard material than on a soft material such as thepressing body 63A.

Moreover, in the conventional manufacturing method of a generalcomposite material molded product, when forming a bent portion or acurved portion, prepregs are stacked on a base material made of metal.Thus, a stacking step of stacking prepregs on the convex surface of thefirst mold portion 61 to form the laminate 40 is substantially similarto the conventional stacking step. Therefore, even if the mold 60A isconfigured to include the pressing body 63A, it is possible to suppressor avoid complication of the manufacturing processes of the compositematerial molded product.

Furthermore, the first mold portion 61 constituted of a hard materialabuts on the inner surface of the bent portion or curved portion of thecomposite material molded product. Therefore, when the first moldportion 61 is removed from the composite material molded product, evenif an insertion member such as a wedge or a spatula is inserted betweenthe inside of the composite material molded product and the first moldportion 61, there is almost no possibility that the convex surface ofthe first mold portion 61 will be damaged. In other words, the firstmold portion 61 can be removed from the inside of the composite materialmolded product using an insertion member such as a wedge or a spatula.Therefore, complication of demolding operation can be suppressed oravoided.

Here, the specific configuration of the pressing body 63A provided inthe mold 60A is not particularly limited. The pressing body 63A may beconstituted of, for example, a single thermal expansion member,similarly to the pressing body 13B provided in the mold 10B described inthe modification example of above Embodiment 1. Further, the pressingbody 63A may be constituted of the expansion core part 31 and thepressure distribution part 32 as in the mold 10A described in aboveEmbodiment 1. Alternatively, as in the mold 10C described in themodification example of above Embodiment 1, the pressed surface may bedimpled, or it may be configured to include a hollow box part 35 as inthe mold 10D described likewise in the modification example.

Alternatively, the pressing body in present Embodiment 4 may be a hollowbody instead of an entirely homogeneous solid member (solid) like theexpansion core part 71 of the pressing body 63A. For example, asillustrated in FIG. 16, a mold 60B of the modification example inpresent Embodiment 4 has a first mold portion 61, a second mold portion62, a pressing body 63B, a base plate 64, and so on, similarly to theabove-described mold 60A, and the basic configuration thereof is similarto that of the mold 60A. Therefore, although the pressing body 63B isalso constituted of the expansion core part 73 and the pressuredistribution part 74, this expansion core part 73 is not a solid bodythat is entirely homogeneous like the expansion core part 71 describedabove but a hollow body. In FIG. 16, the internal space of the expansioncore part 73 is illustrated with a dotted line.

The internal space of the expansion core part 73 can be communicatedwith the outside of the mold main body via a pressure hole 67. Thepressure hole 67 is constituted of, for example, a pressure valve 67 aprovided on a side surface of the second mold portion 62, and a throughhole 67 b which is formed to penetrate the second mold portion 62 andcommunicates this pressure valve 67 a with an internal space of thepressing body 63B. Then, the outer surface of the laminate 40 can bepressed by the pressure molding surface of the pressing body 63B byblowing compressed air from the pressure hole 67 to expand the pressingbody 63B.

As described above, when the expansion core part 73 is configured toblow compressed air, it is easy to adjust the pressing force due toexpansion as compared with the solid expansion core part 71 describedabove. Thus, the thickness of the pressure distribution part 74 can berelatively small (thin) as compared with the pressure distribution part72 of the pressing body 63A described above. In addition, the specificthickness of the pressure distribution part 72 is not specificallylimited, and can be set appropriately according to various conditions.

Here, more specific configurations of the molds 60A, 60B according topresent Embodiment 4 and a method for manufacturing a composite materialmolded product using the molds 60A, 60B are similar to those of themolds 10A-10F or the mold 50 and the manufacturing method using them,which are described in above Embodiments 1 to 3. Therefore, the moredetailed description of the molds 60A, 60B other than the abovedescription is omitted. In other words, the various configurations ormethods and the like described for the molds 10A-10F or the mold 50 inabove Embodiments 1 to 3 can be applied to the molds 60A, 60B accordingto present Embodiment 4.

Thus, a mold for manufacturing a composite material molded productaccording to the present disclosure is a mold used when manufacturing acomposite material molded product made of a composite materialconstituted of at least a thermosetting resin composition and a fibermaterial and having a cross-sectional shape including at least one of ahollow, a bent portion, and a curved portion in a transverse sectionthereof, the mold used for heat curing a laminate of prepregs obtainedby impregnating the fiber material with the thermosetting resincomposition and half curing the thermosetting resin composition, inwhich when a surface on the hollow side or an inside or outside of thebent portion or the curved portion is a pressed surface in thetransverse section of the composite material molded product, the moldincludes a pressing body that is thermally expandable and has a pressuremolding surface having a shape corresponding to a shape of the pressedsurface, and a mold main body provided with a cavity accommodating thelaminate and the pressing body inside, the cavity including an innersurface shape corresponding to a shape other than the pressed surface,in which the mold main body is configured such that the cavity is sealedin a state that the pressing body is disposed in the cavity, and thelaminate is accommodated in a molding space formed between an innersurface of the cavity and the pressure molding surface of the pressingbody.

Embodiments of the present application yield an effect that a mold or amanufacturing method can be provided that is capable of shaping both anouter surface and an inner surface into desired shapes in a compositematerial molded product having a hollow portion, a bent portion, or acurved portion in a transverse section thereof.

With the above configurations, by heating the pressing body disposed inthe cavity by heating the mold main body which is a matched die, thepressing body expands and presses the pressed surface of the laminate inthe molding space. Therefore, in a composite material molded producthaving a hollow, a bent portion, or a curved portion, the outer surfaceor the inner surface (in the case of hollow, the inner surface) thereofis set as a pressed surface, and the pressing body is made to abut onthe pressed surface and heating is performed, not only a surface otherthan the pressed surface but also the pressed surface can be formed intoa desired shape. Thus, a composite material molded product having ahollow portion, a bent portion, or a curved portion in a transversesection thereof can be molded into a desired shape.

In addition, since the pressing body thermally expands inside the moldmain body and presses the laminate, it is not necessary to performheating accompanied by pressurization as in an autoclave, and thecomposite material molded product can be molded into a predeterminedshape only by a general heating device such as an oven. Moreover, sincethe cavity can be sealed in a state in which the laminate isaccommodated, it is not necessary to bag the mold before heating or todebag the mold after heating. As a result, the manufacturing processesof the composite material molded product can be greatly simplified.

Furthermore, the laminate is accommodated in the closed molding space inthe cavity and heat cured while being entirely pressed by thermalexpansion of the pressing body. Therefore, in the obtained compositematerial molded product, the cured product of the thermosetting resincomposition hardly leaks out of the cavity at an end thereof. At thistime, the thermosetting resin (composition) is softened by heating andspreads over the entire molding space. Thus, along with pressing forcedue to thermal expansion of the pressing body, hydrostaticpressurization by the softened thermosetting resin also occurs.Therefore, in the obtained composite material molded product, since morefavorable pressing force is generated in the entire molding space, it ispossible to effectively suppress occurrence of defects such as porosityaccompanying insufficient pressing.

Further, since the thermosetting resin (composition) hardly leaks fromthe molding space, an excess portion hardly occurs in the obtainedcomposite material molded product. Accordingly, the trimming operationbecomes unnecessary in the obtained composite material molded product,and since the trimming operation is not necessary, it is possible toavoid exposure of fibers occurring at a trim end. Therefore, it is notnecessary to apply an edge seal to the end of the composite materialmolded product in order to prevent moisture absorption. As a result, themanufacturing processes can be further simplified.

In addition, since the laminate is pressed using a pressing body, thereis no need to press the mold even though it is a matched die. Moreover,by adjusting the sizes or shapes of the mold and the pressing body,composite material molded products of various sizes or shapes can bemanufactured, and favorable pressure can be applied in all directionsfrom the pressing body to the pressed surface of the laminate. Thus,molding of a complex shape is also possible.

The mold for manufacturing the composite material molded product havingthe above configuration may be configured such that the pressed surfaceof the composite material molded product is a surface on the hollow sideor the inside of the bent portion or the curved portion, the pressuremolding surface of the pressing body is an outer surface of the pressingbody, and in the mold main body, in a state that the pressing body isdisposed in the cavity, the laminate is accommodated in a molding spaceformed between the inner surface of the cavity and the outer surface ofthe pressing body.

Further, the mold for manufacturing the composite material moldedproduct having the above configuration may be configured such that thepressed surface of the composite material molded product is a surface onthe outside of the bent portion or the curved portion, the pressuremolding surface of the pressing body is an inner surface of the pressingbody, and in the mold main body, in a state that the pressing body isdisposed in the cavity, the laminate is accommodated in a molding spaceformed between the inner surface of the cavity and the inner surface ofthe pressing body.

Further, the mold for manufacturing the composite material moldedproduct having the above configuration may be configured such that themold main body includes a female mold portion provided with the cavity,and a lid mold portion that seals the cavity in a state that thelaminate and the pressing body are disposed in the cavity of the femalemold portion.

Further, the mold for manufacturing the composite material moldedproduct having the above configuration may be configured such that themold main body includes a first mold portion having the inner surfaceshape, and a second mold portion having a recessed space in which thefirst mold portion is fitted, in which by fitting the first mold portionand the second mold portion, the cavity is formed therebetween, and thepressing body is disposed in the recessed space of the second moldportion so that the pressure molding surface of the pressing bodyopposes the first mold portion.

Further, the mold for manufacturing the composite material moldedproduct having the above configuration may be configured such that across section of the composite material molded product is a shape havinga plate-shaped main body portion and two flange portions bent in a samedirection from both edges of the main body portion, and the pressingbody has an outer surface shape corresponding to a shape of the pressedsurface between the two flange portions and the main body portion.

Further, the mold for manufacturing the composite material moldedproduct having the above configuration may be configured such that thepressing body includes an expansion core part that thermally expands dueto heating and a pressure distribution part that is provided on a sideof the composite material molded product with respect to the expansioncore part and distributes pressing force by the expansion core part tothe entire pressed surface.

Further, the mold for manufacturing the composite material moldedproduct having the above configuration may be configured such that athermal expansion coefficient of the expansion core part is larger thana thermal expansion coefficient of the pressure distribution part.

Further, the mold for manufacturing the composite material moldedproduct having the above configuration may be configured such that theexpansion core part has a concavo-convex structure that adjusts pressingforce due to thermal expansion.

Further, the mold for manufacturing the composite material moldedproduct having the above configuration may be configured such that thepressing body includes a hollow box part that is located inside thepressing body and is deformable inward accompanying thermal expansion ofthe pressing body.

Further, the mold for manufacturing the composite material moldedproduct having the above configuration may be configured such that themold main body includes a heating part that heats the mold main body.

Further, the mold for manufacturing the composite material moldedproduct having the above configuration may be configured such that thecomposite material molded product is an aircraft part.

The method for manufacturing a composite material molded productaccording to the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing acomposite material molded product made of a composite materialconstituted of at least a thermosetting resin composition and a fibermaterial and having a cross-sectional shape including at least one of ahollow, a bent portion, and a curved portion in a transverse sectionthereof, in which when the hollow side or an inside or outside of thebent portion or the curved portion is a pressed surface in thetransverse section of the composite material molded product, the methodis configured to include using a mold including a pressing body that isthermally expandable and has a pressure molding surface having a shapecorresponding to a shape of the pressed surface, and a mold main bodyprovided with a cavity including an inner surface shape corresponding toa shape other than the pressed surface, disposing the laminate and thepressing body in the cavity so that the pressure molding surface of thepressing body abuts on a laminate of prepregs obtained by impregnatingthe fiber material with the thermosetting resin composition and halfcuring the thermosetting resin composition, and fixing the mold mainbody so as to seal the cavity, and heating the mold without pressingfrom outside, so as to cure the laminate.

The method for manufacturing a composite material molded product havingthe above configuration may be configured such that the pressed surfaceof the composite material molded product is a surface on the hollow sideor the inside of the bent portion or the curved portion, the pressuremolding surface of the pressing body is an outer surface of the pressingbody, and when the pressing body and the laminate are disposed in thecavity, the laminate is accommodated in a molding space formed betweenthe inner surface of the cavity and the outer surface of the pressingbody.

Further, the method for manufacturing the composite material moldedproduct having the above configuration may be configured such that thepressed surface of the composite material molded product is a surface onthe outside of the bent portion or the curved portion, the pressuremolding surface of the pressing body is an inner surface of the pressingbody, and when the pressing body and the laminate are disposed in thecavity, the laminate is accommodated in a molding space formed betweenthe inner surface of the cavity and the inner surface of the pressingbody.

From the above description, many improvements and other embodiments ofthe present application will be apparent to those skilled in the art.Accordingly, the above description should be construed only as example,and is provided for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art thebest mode of carrying out the present application. The structural and/orfunctional details may be substantially altered without departing fromthe spirit of the present application.

Further, the present application is not limited to the description ofabove Embodiments, and various modifications are possible within thescope described in the claims, and embodiments obtained by appropriatelycombining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments andplural modification examples are also included in the technical scope ofthe present application

The present application can be widely and preferably used in the fieldof manufacturing composite material molded products, particularly in thefield of manufacturing aircraft parts made of composite materials orparts of other transportation machine.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

-   10A-10F, 50, 60A, 60B mold-   11, 51 female mold portion (mold main body)-   11 a, 12 a, 14 a, 51 a, 52 a, 62 a, 64 a fastening hole-   11 b, 51 b, 62 b cavity-   12 side surface lid mold portion (lid mold portion, mold main body)-   13A-13D, 53, 63A, 63B pressing body-   14, 54 side surface lid mold portion (lid mold portion, mold main    body)-   15, 55, 65 molding space-   16, 56, 66 fastening member-   17 heating part-   20A C-shaped molded material (composite material molded product)-   20B J-shaped molded material (composite material molded product)-   20C L-shaped molded material (composite material molded product)-   20D H-shaped molded material (composite material molded product)-   20E, 20F hollow material-   21 main body portion (web)-   22 flange portion-   23 reverse cut portion-   24 distal end surface-   25 hollow portion-   31, 33, 71, 73 expansion core part-   32, 72, 74 pressure distribution part-   34 plurality of convex portions (concavo-convex structure)-   35 hollow box part-   40 laminate-   41 base material-   42 matrix material-   54 caul plate-   51 c pressing body region (part of cavity)-   51 d first molding space region (part of cavity)-   51 e second molding space region (part of cavity)-   61 first mold portion (mold main body)-   62 second mold portion (mold main body)-   64 base plate (side surface lid portion)-   67 pressure hole

1. A mold for manufacturing a composite material molded product, themold comprising: a mold main body including an outer mold, an innermold, and a cavity formed between the outer mold and the inner mold toaccommodate a laminate of prepregs; an expansion core that is providedin the cavity and that expands itself; and a pressure distributor thatis provided in the cavity, the pressure distributor being in contactwith a surface of the laminate before expansion of the expansion core,and the pressure distributor distributing a pressing force due toexpansion of the expansion core to the surface of the laminate.
 2. Themold according to claim 1, wherein the outer mold, the expansion core,the pressure distributor, the laminate, and the inner mold are arrangedin this order as viewed from outside the mold main body, the pressuredistributor contacts an outer surface of the laminate, and the innermold contacts an inner surface of the laminate.
 3. The mold according toclaim 1, wherein the outer mold, the laminate, the pressure distributor,the expansion core, and the inner mold are arranged in this order asviewed from outside the mold main body, the pressure distributorcontacts an inner surface of the laminate, and the outer mold contactsan outer surface of the laminate.
 4. The mold according to claim 1,wherein the expansion core thermally expands due to heating.
 5. The moldaccording to claim 4, wherein the expansion core has a concavo-convexstructure that adjusts pressing force due to thermal expansion.
 6. Themold according to claim 4, wherein a thermal expansion coefficient ofthe expansion core is larger than a thermal expansion coefficient of thepressure distributor.
 7. The mold according to claim 4, furthercomprising a hollow box deformable inward accompanying thermal expansionof the expansion core.
 8. The mold according to claim 1, wherein themold main body comprises a heater that heats the mold main body.
 9. Themold according to claim 1, wherein the expansion core further comprisesa pressure hole communicating with an outside of the mold main body andblowing compressed air into an internal space of the expansion core. 10.A method for manufacturing a composite material molded product, themethod comprising: disposing a laminate of prepregs in a cavity betweenan outer mold and an inner mold of a mold main body; disposing in thecavity an expansion core that expands itself and a pressure distributorthat distributes pressing force due to expansion of the expansion core,wherein the pressure distributor is disposed in contact with thelaminate; sealing the cavity; heating the mold main body including theouter mold and the inner mold without pressing to expand the expansioncore; and curing the laminate, wherein during the curing, pressing forcedue to expansion of the expansion core is distributed by the pressuredistributor.
 11. A method for manufacturing a composite material moldedproduct, the method comprising: disposing a laminate of prepregs in acavity between an outer mold and an inner mold; disposing in the cavityan expansion core that expands itself and a pressure distributor thatdistributes pressing force due to expansion of the expansion core,wherein the pressure distributor is disposed in contact with thelaminate; sealing the cavity; blowing compressed air into the expansioncore to expand the expansion core; and curing the laminate, whereinduring the curing, pressing force due to expansion of the expansion coreis distributed by the pressure distributor.